We tend to hate on Hollywood studios because of the movie projects they choose to fund (Transformers 4, anyone?). So much of typical Hollywood product tends to be huge, expensive spectacles with little-to-no story, heavy special effects and poor acting. So, we at ScreenCrave have decided to help jump behind the indie film. Below you’ll find some of the best indie trailers of the week, plus unknown projects featured on sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo that need your help to get made. Check out this week’s picks below.

RAZE: In Raze, Quentin Tarantino‘s favorite stunt woman Zoe Bell gets down and dirty. The movie is pretty much a female version of Blood Sport, where ladies fight to the death. It’s gruesome, but it looks cool. The film is directed by Josh C. Waller, and Bell is one of the producers. IFC Midnight is releasing the movie in theaters and on VOD starting January 10, 2014. Here’s the bloody trailer:

GIMME SHELTER:Vanessa Hudgens has completely transformed herself in Gimme Shelter, a drama about teen pregnancy. In the film, Hudgens plays 16-year-old Agnes “Apple” Bailey, who struggles with a broken family (a drug addicted mother and estranged father) and also tries to overcome having a child of her own. This isn’t the High School MusicalVanessa Hudgens we know. Even in the trailer, she looks intense, like a real actress. (Who knew?) The movie opens in theaters January 24, 2014.

TWICE BORN: Based on the best-selling novel by Margaret Mazzantini, Twice Born tells the story of Italian professor Gemma, played by Penelope Cruz, who takes her son to Sarajevo on summer vacation in hopes of reconnecting with the past and memories of the father he never knew. The film also focuses on Gemma’s relationship with a young American photographer named Diego, played by Emile Hirsch. Directed by Sergio Castellitto, Twice Born debuted at the Toronto Film Festival in 2012, but it has yet to be released. The film arrives in theaters and will also be available on VOD on December 6, 2013.

Indie Fundraiser Pick of the Week:

SEA ODYSSEY: Adam Nelson‘s Sea Odyssey is a short, live-action narrative film about a father-son relationship. The story follows a father who embarks on an ambitious deep sea adventure to find solace in the shadow of his son’s looming death. Along with a team of young and passionate filmmakers, Nelson hopes to get this project going in 2014. This sounds like a great film, but Nelson can’t make it this happen without your help. Head over to Kickstarter to find out how you can help get this underwater adventure movie made.

Those are the projects we have for you this week. Be sure to check back every week for our Best Indie Film Trailers of the Week–helping you stay informed about indie cinema.